Drop door for railway cars



June 14, 1932. G. G. GxLPlN DROP DOOR FOR RAILWAY CARS Original Filed April 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Inventor (71214172 67.6717 111/ zloffz eq/ June 14, n G G GlLplN DROP DOOR FOR RAILWAY CARS Original Filed April 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wam eig;

Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARTH G. GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE', ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE DROP DOOR FOR RAILWAY CARS Original application filed April 26, 1929, Serial N'o. 358,305. Patent No. 1,813,536, dated Iuly 7, 1931. Divided and this application filed January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,713.

My invention relates to the construction of railway cars of the dumping or drop bottom type such as hopper cars, hopper gondola cars, drop bottom or general service gondola cars or the like, having a door forming a part of the car for retaining the load therein, which door is provided with hinges adjacent one of its edges and is capable of being dropped or swung open to discharge the load. Any means of raising the door to the closed position and any means for locking and releasing the door may be employed with my device. Such a door is commonly called a hopper door. My doors may also be used as drop end gates or doors for mill type gondola cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a door for a railway car with a plurality of substantially circular ribs or reinforcements (which are preferably concentric) forming a drum head whereby a load upon the door normal to its load sustaining surface draws the metal toward the center of the circular ribs which is resisted by the arcuate constructions of the ribs. A further object is to dispose the circular ribs obliquely to the body of the door.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a door incorporating my improvement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line i-l of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 to 12 inclusive show modiiied forms of the invention.

My improved door comprises a body portion provided with a plurality of circular or substantially circular ribs 21 and 30 forming a drum head wherein any vertical load imposed upon the door within the circular ribs tends to draw the ribs inwardly; or in other words, to flatten the circles, which tendency is resisted by the arcuate constructions of the ribs, as the force is resisted by parts of the circular ribs which could be described as arches. The circular ribs, therefore form very strong constructions to resist vertical loads imposed upon the car.

I preferably provide radial ribs or brackets springing from the circular rib and merging into the body of the door. These brackets may project within the circle (22) or may project outside of the circular rib (23). Either or both may be used, as either or both would further strengthen the circular rib against deflection under stress.

It is desirable that some of these brackets extend toward the hinge element 24 and support elements 25, respectively, so that the brackets in combination with a part of the circular rib constitute a beam between the hinge element and the support element.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a relatively small inner circular rib 31 with radial ribs 35-36 extending from the outer and inner (31) ribs respectively.

Figs. 7 and 8 show radial ribs 37 and 38 eX- tending inwardly and outwardly from the outer rib L11 and radial ribs 39 and 40 extending inwardly and outwardly from the innerl rib 30. The ribs 37 38,y 39 and 40 are shown in alignment.

Figs. 9 and 10 are similar to Figs. 7 and 8 except that the ribs 50, 51 and 52-53 respectively are not in alignment.

By the term circular I mean anything substantially so for instance, the hexagonal construction (60*61) shown in Figs. 11 and 12 or any construction similar thereto which would provide the desired drum head e'ect.

I have shown and described the circular rib and several means of reinforcing the circular rib to better enable it to perform its function. However, any one or all of the several means may be used and still come within the scope of this invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

This is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 358,305, iled April 26, 1929, which matured into Patent No. 1,813,536, on July 7, 1931.

I claim:

1. A hinged door for a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circular rib, and an inner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib.

2. A hinged door for a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circu- 5 lar rib, and an inner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib and concentric therewith.

3. A hinged-door for a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circular rib, an inner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib, and brackets springing from the outer rib and merging "intoy the body.

4. A hinged door for a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circular rib, and an inner shallower substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib. v5. A hinged ldoor for a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circular obliquely disposed' rib, and an inner shallower substantially circular obliquely disposed rib positioned withinsaid outer rib.

'6. A hinged door for. a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circular obliquely disposed'rib, and an inner substantially circular obliquelyy disposed rib po- Y sitioned withinsaid outer'rib.

7. A hinged door for a railway carv comprising a body, an outer substantially circu- Vlar rib, an inner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib, brackets springing from the outer rib and merging into the body, and other brackets springing from the inner rib and merging into the body. 8. A hinged door for a railway car comprising a body, an 'outer substantially circular rib, an inner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib, brackets springing from the outer rib and merging 40 into the body outside of the outer rib, and other brackets springing from the inner rib and merging into the body between the ribs. 9. A hinged door forA a railway car comprising a body, an outer substantially circu- `lar rib, aninner substantially circular rib positioned within said outer rib', radially eX- tending brackets springing from the outer rib andr merging into the body, and other radially extending brackets springing from the inner rib and merging into the body, some of the first mentioned brackets being in .alignment with some of the last mentioned brackets.

10. A hinged door for a railway ca r comprising a body, an outer substantially circular'rib, an inner lsubstantially circular rib Y positioned within said outer rib, radially eX- .tending'brackets springing from the outer rib and merging into the body, and other radially extending brackets springing from Y `the inner rib and merging into the body.

GARTH G. GILPlIN. 

